Psykiatriska museet is on the former Västerviks Hospital grounds, in what is now Gertrudsvik Sjöstad in Västervik. The hospital opened in 1912 to meet a need for more care places for people with mental illness. It was renamed Sankta Gertruds sjukhus in 1931 and Norra sjukhuset in 1967. At its largest, it had about 1,400 patients and 900 staff, and functioned as a community of its own.

Visitors can request a guided tour. The museum’s six-part radio series is about the hospital, its treatments and the people connected with it; each episode lasts about 10 minutes. The website also describes a 232-page book with text, photographs and illustrations in A5 format.

Drop-in visitors can come on Thursdays, 13:00–16:00 from 1 October to 31 March. From 1 April to 30 September, Thursday hours are 13:00–17:00. During summer weeks 27–32, the museum also opens Tuesdays, 13:00–17:00. This week, the drop-in window is Thursday 5 November, 13:00–16:00. The website does not give an admission price. To guarantee a guided tour, send a booking request; the museum says it will reply with visit information. Choose a Thursday first when booking. Other days may be possible, and pre-booked visits can include up to 50 people at once.